Maybe When We're Older
by seasaltmemories
Summary: She wants to hate Dennis with every fiber of her being, but the tiniest sliver of herself is too exhausted to. Ruri may have loved him back then, when crushes and Algebra tests were the scariest things she had to tackle. Even if she wanted to love him again though, she can't find that innocent love anymore.
1. Chapter 1

She doesn't know how she manages to willingly face Academia, but Ruri remembers how her mother had sworn the Kurosaki's were made of stronger stuff than most. Maybe it's that inner strength that carries her through the place of nightmares.

Strangely it looks almost sad now. Ruri holds no love for this hellhole, but in the daylight, a certain regret lingers. Once it stood so proud, now the place barely stands at all. Maybe instead it's that pitiful state that lets her wander its halls. She could try to name a thousand reasons why she returned, but none would fit quite right.

Among the wounded and dead, she finds him. He has the same curly mop of red hair, same quick green eyes, but he is a different person from the one see knew. Instead of that warm and lively presence she was drawn to, he is nothing but tired and broken as their gazes meet.

"Dennis," He flinches at her voice but manages to respond.

"Ruri."

She doesn't know how long they stay like that. There's so much to say, so much better left unsaid. She has lost her home, her best friend, and her family. She wants to hate him with every fiber of her being, but the tiniest sliver of herself is too exhausted to. She may have loved him back then, when crushes and Algebra tests were the scariest things she had to tackle. Even if she wanted to love him again though, she can't find that innocent love anymore.

"I guess you understand my pain now," Her words tumble out clumsily.

"Is that what you wanted?" He looks back at the sea of causalities, "Satisfied with your revenge?"

"Not really," Ruri played with the fabric of her outfit. The darker parts of herself may laugh at the irony, but Yusho Sakaki's teachings still remained in her heart, "I believe duels should only bring smiles."

"Well your people have sure brought a boat-full of smiles, thanks a bunch," He snarls, every syllable is laced with deadly venom, but it does little to scare her. Instead she closed the distance between them without saying a word until they were only inches apart.

Amethyst meet green with an unexplainable purpose. Then slowly but surely she lifts her hand to cup his cheek. For a second there Dennis' expression flashes with an emotion softer than ones they now hold, but before Ruri could place it, it was gone, likely forever.

"I can never forgive you, Dennis Macfield," Her expression grows cold as the winter air, "Mother, Father, Yuto, Shun...they're all gone because of you. The scars you've left me with will never fade."

He looks truly terrified but doesn't move a muscle. It's only then she notices how easy it would be to wrap that hand around his throat instead. Again the darker parts of herself is intrigued, but there is too much blood staining this place already.

"Regardless, I hope you eventually find your happiness," She removes her hand from his face to ball it into a fist at her side, "Maybe when we're older we can find meaning to this horrid war."

"Ruri-" He looks ready to burst forth with so many things, but she knows they would all be useless in the end. An apology doesn't revive the dead.

Thankfully he is not the type to spew a pointless excuse, "-Me too," He sighs before shoving a hand into his curls. It doesn't matter if he meant to mirror her sentiment or merely repeat it, but with that, the pull to return to Fusion snaps. Whatever work that needed to be done was finished.

"If you're ever brave enough to see me again, then can you promise you'll smile for me? A real one like the ones from Heartland?"  
His lips press together crookedly as he attempts to imitate it, "If I can."

That's the best answer she'll ever get from him, yet she can't help but feel a bit disappointed, "Farewell, Dennis," She leaves him without sparing a second glance. There's a girl waiting for her in Heartland. A girl she might be able to love uninhibitedly and rebuild her life with.

As she leaves she can't help but wish that Academia might be able to rebuild itself eventually as well. Maybe after that, the four dimensions could truly spread smiles instead of violence.

* * *

 **A.N. At first I want to contrast Janushipping and Ruri/Sayaka since we'll be getting a name for the latter soon, but Janushipping quickly overtook the rest. It's just so much fun exploring a Ruri who can't forgive but still cares about Fusion because they're all human in the end**


	2. Chapter 2

Stepping back in Heartland feels like stepping back in time. It's just as bright and colorful as it was when he first arrived. Still on a second glance, the cracks of recovery peek through. Construction is littered all throughout the city and as Dennis makes his way to his location, he passes a monument to those who were never uncarded. No matter how much he wishes the past had stayed immortalized forever, time demands to march forward and claim the future.

When he knocks on the door, a little boy with curious eyes and sharp features answers the door. He almost believes he's at the wrong address until she appears as well. Her hair is cut short in a bob, and now he's about a head taller than her, yet it would be impossible to not recognize her.

"Dennis," She picks the boy up in her arms.

"Ruri," He pulls out the syllables of her name one by one.

He's survived the terrors of Academia, but she frightens him to the core like nothing else. Neither of them seem ready to handle the others appearance, but the boy asks who this strange man is, and breaks the spell that always seems to be cast around the two of them. She motions to Dennis to give her one second and puts the boy down, whispering words he's too scared to eavesdrop on.

The boy runs off, and Ruri shoots him a shaky grin as she closes the door behind her.

"Why don't we get some ice cream?"

"Sure."

She takes him through vaguely familiar streets. He can't name the places where set up his magic show, or where they would hang out and laugh about the most pointless of things, but those memories return all the same. Nostalgia refuses to let go of its victim just yet.

They go through the moves almost mechanically, ordering their old orders like they were fourteen again. Ruri rambles like she used to, mainly talking about that kid she adopted with Sayaka, he thinks he caught his name as being Arata or something. He can hardly tell as his mind races around with a thousand worries.

 _This is when she stops pretending to be so friendly. This is when you wake up from the dream and realize you've been stuck in the card all along. This is when she looks you in the eye and murders you without a second thought._

"Dennis." This time he can't help but flinch.

"Yes?" He struggles to face her with a neutral expression instead of continuing to stare at his melted ice cream.

"You remember that promise right? I don't take you for someone to wait so long only not to fulfill it," She speaks with a presence usually reserved for leaders and generals. Still who is he to be surprised by that coming from a Kurosaki?

"I remember all right-" He closes his eyes as the memory replays itself in its head, "-I'm just wondering if this coward will have the guts to follow through."

"Understandable," She sighs, "I don't know how I managed to make it this long without freezing up again." It's strange hearing her say that when he thought on all her easy smiles and rambling stories from his Heartland days, but then he reminds himself of what the war likely did to her. What he had done to her.

"I don't forgive you," Her tone is gentle, but it doesn't lessen the sting of her words at all. "Fifteen years later and nothing makes any more sense than it did back then. However, I still want you to be happy, Dennis. I want to be your friend again if that's possible. I had Sayaka after things were done. Marrying her and adopting Arata has helped me heal in ways I never expected to. I can't offer forgiveness, but I can offer you a second chance anyway. If you need someone to reach your happiness, then I'm willing to be that person."

Dennis feels like he's been shot. Even with all those insidious thoughts naming every seemingly possible outcome of this, he had not been prepared for this.

More memories come spilling forth, out of control and without any reason or rhyme. His first time meeting her and the simultaneous excitement and dread. Her XYZ lessons and the teasing remark she'd throw his way. Days spent playing hookey from school and wandering around without a care in the world. That night before the invasion when they might have both leaned in for something extra during their final goodbye's.

It's only once he felt a teardrop hit his hand did he realize he was crying. Slowly but surely he lifts his head with a smile he had almost forgotten how to show.

"Will this be good enough?" He laughs, almost choking on the sobs building up in his throat.

"It will work," Ruri returns a grin of her own, "We're both good enough."


End file.
